Portland Nets 15 James Beard Nominations

… plus three more Beard nods from around the state make 2016 the biggest year ever for Oregon.

Every year, Oregon takes a few steps closer to total Northwest domination, as evidenced by our state's 18 James Beard Award semi-finalists, announced February 17. No surprises here, with Portland Monthly’s Best Restaurants from 2015 and years past topping out the short list for the nation's biggest food awards. But this year’s nominations also bring some well-deserved attention to Portland’s behind-the-scenes talent, from restaurateurs like Nate Tilden (Clyde Common, Olympia Provisions) to super-talented bakers, like Bakeshop’s Kim Boyce. James Beard finalists will be announced March 15, with the final awards ceremony taking place May 2 in Chicago. Stay tuned to Eat Beat for the next round of finalists!